Highlights of the Paris Chicago Safari

Highlights of the Paris Chicago Safari

by Valerie Beck

The series of 8 "Paris Chicago Safari" excursions that I created for my French ESCE students to learn about American Business during Spring Break 2015 in Chicago, through my role as an Adjunct Professor at Kendall College, was a spectacular success due to all involved. I'm immensely proud of my students for their positivity, professionalism, and willingness to explore!

The main topics that we pursued on each excursion were networking, volunteering, and mentoring, as crucial to business success in the US. I invited my network of friends and business contacts to open their doors to our class, and we were met with heartwarming enthusiasm. 

Below are a few of my photos to give you the theme of each excursion. 

Most importantly, enjoy the blog posts by the students, to experience the excursions through their eyes, words, and insights.

Excursion 1 - The Business of Fashion: Branding and Merchandising with Style

 

  

Thank you to manager Erin Webster and team at J.Crew, 900 Shops, Frankie's 5th Floor Pizzeria, Nicki Brashear of Fashionista Chicago, and Teuscher.

Excursion 2 - The Business of Art and Architecture: Building Beauty and Business Through Relationships

  

 

Thank you to Petra Bachmeier of Luftwerk, A&D Gallery at Columbia College, Toni Patisserie, D.C. Crenshaw of Fete, the Chicago Cultural Center, Mary Vallender of @properties, and The Legacy at Millennium Park.

Excursion 3 - The Business of Social Justice: Making a Difference 

 

 

Thank you to Brenda Palms-Barber and team at Sweet Beginnings and the North Lawndale Employment Network, Kendall College Dean of International Business Aurora Reinke who made our excursions possible and joined us on this day, Jonny Imerman of Imerman Angels, and Kelley Cannon of the Marshall Field's / Macy's Candy Department.

Excursion 4 - The Business of Chocolate: Geneva Getaway

 

 

  Thank you to Bob Untiedt and family and team at Graham's Fine Chocolates, The Sugar Path, Chocolate Uplift, The Herrington Inn and Spa, Moveable Feast, Mayor Kevin Burns of Geneva, Illinois, and Graham's 318.

Excursion 5 - The Business of Mentoring: Helping Others to the Top

   

 

 Thank you to Business Journals, Christopher Rondeau of 360Chicago, Megan Danielson of Google, Nate Cooper of LYFE Kitchen, Gigi Olmstead, and Chef Peter Rios of Alliance Patisserie.

 Excursion 6 - The Business of Finance: Money Meanings

 

Thank you to Dan Rubel of Argo Tea, Certified Financial Planner Dave Ruths, the Money Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank, and Kendall College Adjunct Professor Cindy McCarthy.

Excursion 7 - The Business of Food: Big Food, Small Food

 

 Thank you to Rich Howley of Whole Foods, Michael Moody of Michael Moody Fitness, and Kendall College Adjunct Professor Cindy McCarthy.

Excursion 8 - The Business of Hospitality: Every Detail Counts

 

 

Thank you to Chef Janet Kirker and Thalia Krick of Foodease Market, Shaun Rajah and Chef Herve Cuyeu of The Drake Hotel, and Hendrickx Bakery.

To my students: 

Well done! It has been a tremendous pleasure working with you and getting to know you, and I'm forever proud of you for your hard work and spirit of exploration. 

Keep reaching onward and upward!

The Business of Hospitality, by Clara Tenenbaum

THE BUSINESS OF HOSPITALITY

For the beginning of the day, we ate at The Water Tower, savoring my asian’s food, I was listening a charming chef woman, Janet Kirker. She told us her relationship with her mentor. He was very strict, but thanks to that, she was be able to do lot of thing. With her husband, who has the same job. They would like to create their own restaurant. She wants to use her networking for that, because it’s very useful ! 

Janet Kirker

After we want to the Drake Hotel. The Drake Hotel is a luxury hotel located downtown on the lake side of Michigan Avenue. It was founded in 1920 and considered as a historical monument of Chicago. A number of famous cinema films have been shot at the Drake Hotel : Wicker Park, Mission Impossible or Hero for example.
In reality, a lot of history has stem from the Drake Hotel : Marilyn Monroe caved her initials into the bar and it still to be seen today.

The Drake Hotel organized events, meeting, banquet. It’s also a place for organized wedding or diner. It’s a wonderful and awe-inspiring hotel. We met the manager Shaun Rajah, who showed us different room. A fascinating guided tour because we felt like a customer. A ballroom, a meeting room, the toilet, every places are well-decorated. Why attention to detail matter in business? Because we see only the detail. When every girl came to the toilet, they observed the beautiful soap and the perfect decoration.
Shaun showed us in the kitchen met the Chef Herve. The Drake Hotel’s kitchen is very spacious. Chef Herve is a impressive man. He’s french and he left France to Texas and after for Miami. Now he works in Chicago. Why Chicago? Because as a european man, he miss the real season. He told us his background. After be graduated to his culinary school, he came to Texas and he worked with Mexican man who don’t speak english and it’s how he became trilingual, with the french, english and Spanish. He understand with the time that speak a number of language opened doors. He is passionate about his job, it’s encouraging to see a man so passionate! He has devoted himself mainly to cooking. he said that when you really want something with all your heart, it will be happen and the money come after, with the passion. « It’s hard to become a chef, you don’t have a lot of time for yourself, for your family, but cooking is something in your heart. »

Chef Herve

I was very impressed about the detail in Drake Hotel’s kitchen. All the staff of the kitchen have a list   where is indicated all the allergy. The details are very important especially in a beautiful and renowned hotel like The Drake. 

After in the day, we went to Hendrickx Belgian Bread Crafters meet Dominique.  erican people loves enjoy their food inside the place. It’s not like in Europe, where everybody buy their croissant and go eat them in their house. So by adapting to the need of american’s costumer, they opened a room who everybody can eat inside the bakery. She said that all the customer are a link with her. She knows them. It’s a family company. It’s important to create essential links with customer to develop relationships. Because if they have a good link they come back and they will be a regular customer. It was a wonderful day ! 

Mentoring, by Clara Tenenbaum

MENTORING

Breakfast at the Swissotel


We started a beautiful day at the Swissotel for the « Business Journals Speed Mentoring »
It is a mentoring sessions with the most influential local businesswomen. Seven minutes to understand the principes of mentoring. Seven minutes to understand the businesses seen by women. Whenever and everywhere mentoring have a huge place is the business. Giving people advices on how they can have a successful career or achieve their goals are the basis of being mentor. Today was focus upon mentoring and it was a privilege to speak with women like Shannon Schuyler. Who are the Principal and PwC’s Americas Corporate Responsibility Leader and President, PwC Charitable Fondation, Inc. According to Shannon Schuyler being mentor is not official, it’s something natural. If you have someone who give you a good advice, it’s could be your mentor. It’s not necessary a person in your company or a person who works in the same business than you. It’s is so powerful to give something, share your skills, take care about the future of someone and improve capacity of people. When you give good things, you have good things to return back. It’s karma philosophy. For exemple, for Shannon, the most important mentor for her is her father. I had the pleasure to meet Cindy Kurman, the President of Kurman Communication. My conversation with her is the perfect example of the important to build a professional network. I would like to work in the media, like my father, whether it be television or radio. She gave me a name of her good friend who worked in french television in Paris. It’s appears that her good friend was a old friend of my father who lose touch with. My father was so pleased to have the email of his old friend. 

View – Hancock Tower

We went to The Hancock tower to meet the associate sales manager of Montparnasse 56, who’s name is Christopher Rondeau. His speech was very enriching, he talked about the importance of the networking because it was useful in his carrer. This networking could be the touch which help  you for you career. We went to the top of the tower, it was my first time there and it was beautiful. In Paris we can’t have this king of view. First time on my life i saw Chicago’s beach. I will recommended to my friends to see this amazing view. 

Christopher Rondeau

Later in the day, we went to the Google office and speak with two managers. I never see on my life such a offices. The office are rich of technology, colorful and fascinating. Google’s employees have a massage, music, sport’s room. Google is the most powerful company of the world and they must have the responsibility to take care of their employee. That’s why one day of the week each employee of Google can’t work. They must give their free time to an other activity. For me, It’s the perfect time to set about doing volunteering. To help other and start something new. This method are used for the productivity of the employee. In a healthy context, we work better. When you start to work in Google, you have a mentor who help you. The employee are more integrated in the company and can have a better result. And in the future, who’s knows if this person will be help his mentor.

Time to lunch! Time to meet Gigi! A french women who lives in the United State. It’s really amazing to see and know the background of this woman. Because she’s french and she was like us. She was Study in a new country. The gave us a fews advices of networking as it’s real important to keep the contact of people, take professional’s cards, and share number, linkedln…It’s was really funny when she asked us what we know about Chicago. And without surprises, It was only clichés. Her volunteering are architecture, she loves that, and dedicated to once a month for the city of Chicago. This woman is wonderful. We never know the future because, Gigi was the customer of Valery beck, after a co-worker and after a friend. The life is full of surprises.

After the meal, a wonderful surprise waited us at the Cilliance shop. A delicious macarons!
This was a beautiful day thank you professor Beck!

Honey's Men, by Clara Tenenbaum

Honey’s Men.

We had the opportunity to visit Sweet Beginnings who are a non-profit agency on the corner in East Garfield Park. Sweet Beginnings doesn’t believe in stereotypes. They believe in the redemption of men. They believe that everybody deserves a second chance.

I was surprised that the neighborhood of Sweet beginnings are very nice, peaceful, and calm. They have a cute little house like a honey bee hive where everybody work in harmony. For me, this description is exactly like Sweet beginnings. It is a social company witch helps people who gets out of prison. Nowadays, It’s very hard for a former prisoner to have a social rehabilitation. A criminal records which pursues and burdens you, large economic problems, access to rehabilitation and education programmes not enough to help peoples… Fews issues that people who gets out of prison have. Can Former prisoner have the possibility to start a life again? To survive in a society? Have a second chance? Sweet Beginning believes it ! 

They have 3 objectives.
First economic mission : To help them to reintegrate into society. In generally, find a job for people is an asset for the economic issue which reduce unemployment in United State.
Secondly, social goal : Give a second chance and help people who need it and become productive members of society.
Finally, from a financial point of view : This company need money for survive too. They make and sell a natural urban honey. With the success of their honey, they have the opportunity to make a different products like a shower gel, natural lip balm, smooth body cream etc..  

manufacture of honey

I was impressed and surprised that Sweet Beginning make their own honey in their garden! In this day i learn the signification of he volunteering business. In this world, helping people starting or running a business. It’s a business like an other, but a business of heart. Using our skills for good and to assisting people are incredibly beautiful. 

 For example, Johnny Imerman. He is the founder of Imerman Angels. This company help and support people who have a cancer. Johnny had a cancer and his past too. It’s free service and everybody can have « a mentor angel » who has the same age, same gender and has the same type of cancer. They help to answers a personals questions of people who lives with cancer. We have the honor to meet Johnny. This man are so strong. After listening to him, we don’t want to complain about life anymore. He is the kindest of people who  I admired and respect. His history is a lesson of live.  

Johnny Imerman

The business to helping others is a beautiful concept. When you give something, you will receive something good. It’s Karma philosophy. The karma of merit to help people. It is a moral dimension especially a moral action. The principal goal of volunteerism is to do what you think is good and it is your job The most beautiful job it is to helping people. Generally, the results of volunteerism can helps to people in personal and professional life as well.This business must be developed and i hope it will be. 

The Business of Food: Big Food, Small Food, by Amelie Mapapa

MAPAPA Amélie

The Business of Food: Big Food, Small Food

“Food is community. Food brings people together”, this quote is from Amelia Pape, who is a team member of Whole Foods and also the founder of my street grocery.  Whole Foods is a supermarket where you can find a lot of healthy, natural and good products. 

The design of the store is very colourful; when you drop down the escalator you can notice that. The reason they do this marketing is because they want the store to be beauty on the eyes.

Design of Whole Foods

If you go in their, they just sales whole trade guarantee product. Whole trade guarantee products are produce by producers who are living weigh. Because is the value of the store and that what make Whole Foods different from the others.
You can see the logo everywhere in the store, like on the picture below.

About the volunteering, there is a found raising event every March for the world trade planet that is a foundation provides food world countries that begin their business. When people by Whole Foods products they support people all around the world. An other thing that is important in the store they don’t waste food or flowers. Instead of wasting food, they use it to make meals for people who don’t have time to cook or they smoke it or people from the church community come and take some food and for the flowers they send it to people in the hospital. 

During the visit we had network with some employees in the store because we wanted to know first the best sellers in their department and why some items are at top or bottom. The first person was in the juice department, for the first question she said that the soda from the brand of the store was in the best sellers and for the second question she said that for the positioning of items, is the manager of the store who decide of the place of each product and he have to agree with the providers. The second person was from the cosmetic; she wasn’t able to tell us the best sellers but for the second question she said that to be on top you have to pay money, if you give the most you would have a better place.
We didn’t have our answer with both sellers so we went at the wine department and the employee from there said the same thing that the employee from the juice department; after the employee we met two wine buyers one from Texas and the second one from Chicago and he gives us the same answer that the first employee. So we conclude that it was the good answer. 

To conclude I can say that if you need healthy products without GMO and if you want to help people around the world go to Whole Foods, they really care about people health and care about the community. 

by Maxime Boccara

We begin the 03/23/2015 in The Paris Chicago Safari with The professor Beck. And on the second day we had the chance to get a trip in the art and the architecture of Chicago.

First about art the thing that inspired me the most is about the painting of Archibald. What inspire me first is the nature of his painting he paint what he want to. It'’ important because with his painting so powerful but calm at the same time he succeeded to be a major contributor of the Harlem renaissance. He shows to everybody what the daily life is, for him, in Harlem. Even if he never lived in New York that’s the most surprising.

Secondly I have learn a lot about the architecture of Chicago. I have learn that the skyscraper are originally from Chicago. And if the rock is used today it is from the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 which have burn a lot of the city. And the water tower and the pumping station were the only building to resist to it

For the art I have learn that Chicago is a great city for that. Artist can receive help from a lot of people like the government or from the university for example which is very different from France.

I have learn from our guest speaker that our networking need to be work as much as you speak with your friend. You need to remember them that you are a life. And if one day if you need something they are more willing to help you. In addition all the help you can haveis the best. That what change me from France, in France the society is not willing to help or be help.

The Business of Hospitality : Every Detail Counts, by Charles Chhuav

The Business of Hospitality : Every Detail Counts

This day, was a special day, it was our last day of our trip. This last excursion was about a business which every detail counts, for sure, I talk about the business of Hospitality.     

         
To begin with, we started this day at 10:50 am with our teacher Mrs. Beck who have been to New York for her business. We went directly to Foodease in Water Tower Place for lunch, after we met all in the lobby of The Buckingham. However, we had to dress more professionally for this day, because as I said, every detail counts especially in hospitality, and mainly because we had to go to a luxury hotel, the Drake Hotel.

After arrived to Foodease, I was very impressed of all kind of food we can get. Each restaurants within Foodease are specialized in one kind of food as hamburgers, vegetable dishes, chinese or italian food. It was tough to choose, because all restaurants seemed good !  

Finally, I decided to take a hamburger as almost my classmates. I know it was not very original, but it was a good burger, so I don’t regret my choice. During we ate, chef Janet Kirker had joined us to talk about her business, and how she was arrived as an Executive Chef of Foodease. She said that thanks to her mentor, she learned more about culinary skills, and now, she will has a mentee who will learn through her. I think it is looks like a kind of legacy, a transfer of knowledge.     

                                  
                After the lunch, we went to the Drake Hotel which we met Shaun Rajah who is the Senior Catering Manager of the hotel. He showed us some important rooms as a room which people can celebrate their wedding. This room is so incredible, we would have thought that we were in a fairytale castle. All details have its importance, each detail counts, and it is due to values of the hotel because they pay attention to comfort and welfare of their customers. That is the key to create a good and strong relationship with clients, and to incite them to come an other time or to tell to their networking how they like so far the hotel.   

We had also the chance to meet the French Chef Herve Cuyeu in the kitchen. I was so glad to speak with a french native who decided to move to US, because thanks to him we had learned more concerning difficulties to work in a foreign country. I was so suprised that he forgets some French words because he was born and spent his chilhood in France, but I think it is normal to forget how to speak if you don’t practice.    

And to the end of the day, we went to Hendrickx, a Belgian Bakery which we are welcomed by the co-owner Dominique. She told us that the beginnings were tough because the US market is not the same as Belgium. Even if she did a business plan, the reality was not what she expected. So, she had to adapt her plan, and change what she would like to do at the beginning. Adaptation is one of the key of success in business.

Finally, this day was filled with emotion, because this day concludes our trip with Mrs Beck and the end of our excursions. Thanks to this day and days before, we have learned more concerning Chicago in general, but also some interesting jobs, and new concepts as mentoring, volunteering and networking. For all of things, I would like to thank Mrs Beck and all people who spent their time for us.

http://foodeasechicago.com/

http://www.thedrakehotel.com/

http://hendrickxbakery.com/